This invention relates to a machine and a system for packaging food products, and more particularly to a machine and a system for dispensing a liquid or semi-solid food product into a cup or other container.
It is well known to dispense liquid or semi-solid products into a cup or other container on a rotary indexing filling machine. Such machines are commonly used in dairies to fill cups or containers with yogurt, ice cream, and similar products. One type of rotary indexing filling machine commonly used for this purpose in dairy packaging plants is described in prior art patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,889, issued to John B. West; the disclosure of that patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The machine disclosed therein comprises a horizontal loading wheel having a plurality of apertures, the apertures able to support open containers to be filled. The loading wheel carries each open container through several stations at which different operations are performed. These operations can include filling the container with each of various ingredients, swirling or mixing the contents of the container, putting a film seal over the mouth of the container, applying a lid to the container, applying a bar code to the container, and so forth. The finished containers are lifted out of the loading wheel and transferred onto a conveyor system. The machine is actuated by various sets of drive gears, cams, and mechanical linkages.
Rotary indexing filling machines such as those described in the ""889 West patent are typically dedicated to a specific range of products to be dispensed. When the product being dispensed is changed, the tool sets and processes must also be changed. Filling rates into the containers are determined, in part, by the control of the product during indexing. Changing or modifying this control is difficult, and often requires new indexing cams. Operators of such machines must be knowledgeable about the mechanics of the system and have significant training regarding the machine tools, set-up procedures and operating parameters required for each of the different food products to be packaged by the machine.
It is thus one object of the invention to provide a filling machine and a system for operating the machine that will allow increased flexibility by being capable of filling various products without changing tool sets or machine models.
It is another object of the invention to provide a filling machine and a system for operating the machine that will provide enhanced ease of set up and operation such that machine operators will not be required to have extensive training and mechanical knowledge.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a filling machine and a system for operating the machine that will allow precise control of the product during indexing of the machine by adjusting the filler dynamics to the viscosity of the product being dispensed, thus avoiding spills.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a filling machine and a system for operating the machine in which most of the machine drive components are enclosed in a substantially moisture proof housing, thus prolonging the life of the components, reducing maintenance costs, and allowing faster cleaning of the machine.
In accordance with the invention, a rotary indexing filling machine is provided which is capable of performing the same functions as prior art filling machines, but in which several of the main mechanically driven actuators are replaced by pneumatic actuation means and a servo-motor. The elimination of the mechanically driven actuators greatly increases the flexibility of the machine, because the machine can be changed over from one product line to another without physically removing and replacing mechanical gears and indexing cams. Because the mechanical drive units have been eliminated, the machine can be run by operators who do not have extensive knowledge of mechanical drive systems or extensive training. Advantageously, the absence of the gear mechanisms of the prior art allows certain pneumatic and electronic components to be housed within a moisture proof housing. This facilitates easier washing of the equipment, such as when it is being changed over from one product to another.
Significantly, the use of a servo-motor and solenoid-activated pneumatics allows the machine to be used as part of an operating system that can be controlled, operated, and monitored by computer. Parameters for operating the machine can be entered into the computer, which can control the speed and functions of the machine. This obviates the resetting of tooling, cams, and gears such as was required to accomplish similar changes in prior art machines. The use of computer controlled components also allows the machine to serve as part of an entire computer controlled system, in which one such machine or many are controlled, operated, and monitored by computer. Such a system can provide for the efficient transfer of production data by either wire or radio frequency to either a computer or personal digital assistant. Further, each machine can function as its own internet website. A person located away from the food packaging plant can log onto the website, read the production data, see a video image of the machine, and call instructions into the plant to make adjustments and correct problems.